IDS staff members Peter Stevenson and Lee Hurwitz contributed to this story
Jamarcus Ellis wants to be a Hoosier. And apparently, that's been the story the entire time.
"I never had no plans to leave, it was just (Dan) Dakich being the head coach and we didn't see eye-to-eye on things," Ellis said in between pick-up games at the HPER on Tuesday night. "I thought it was best for me to part ways and get my academics right, and I really wanted to see who the new coach is. And hopefully, if it is Tom Crean, I'm looking forward to returning to the Hoosiers."
Ellis reiterated time after time in the brief interview that his departure from the Hoosiers had been misinterpreted. It was confirmed with IU officials yesterday that Ellis and sophomore guard Armon Bassett had been dismissed from the team by Dakich. With Crean stepping into the picture, Ellis hopes he can rejoin the Hoosiers for the upcoming season.
"I never left the team, I quit," Ellis said. "So it really wasn't that we got kicked off, we quit. I'm looking forward to still being a Hoosier, I never had intentions on leaving, that wasn't even an option."
Ellis said he didn't necessarily disagree with Dakich, the interim coach, dismissing him, and hopes he can come back to the IU team.
"Since (Dakich) is the head coach, I have no say over that, he was just doing his job," Ellis said. "My opinion, is just an opinion, whether I like it or not. He had a decision to make. I'm really looking forward to being a Hoosier again, if I can be reinstated or anything."
Several of Ellis' teammates were also playing in the same pick-up game Tuesday night and spoke about Crean.
Junior forward DeAndre Thomas didn't know Crean had been hired until an IDS reporter informed him so.
"I just wanted a coach," Thomas said. "He'll be a good coach out here. He coached a couple of my friends...I think he'll do a great job here. We've got some great players and great kids and he doesn't have nothing to worry about."
Thomas said that Ellis and Bassett decided to leave because they felt they were being wronged.
"They went with what they believed in, they thought something wasn't right so they stood up for themselves," Thomas said, who also confirmed himself and Jordan Crawford were still on the team.
"We just want to get coached that's all, now (Crean) is here, so we're going to work hard for him"
